Bute West Dock Basin, including Sea Walls and Catch Pit

Cadw's description

Location

Sea walls running east from south of Industrual and Maritime Museum to entrance to former Bute East Dock. Bute West Dock basin between and behind Pier Head Building and Industrial & Maritime Museum. Catch pit to NE of basin.

History

West Bute Dock and Basin opened 1839 by Bute Docks Company. Originally planned by James Green, with revisions and consultations from Telford, Cubbitt and R Stephenson. Resident engineer George Turnbull, chief contractor Daniel Storms. Basin walls probably refaced in later C19.

Exterior

Sea walls faced with massive grey-brown stone blocks with copings generally in granite but grey-brown stone at W end of sea wall to S of Industrial and Maritime museum. Squat cast iron bollards set into coping stones, some of which have iron lipping to kerbs. At time of inspection (March 1991), walls partially obscured by rubble dumped as reinforcement. Beginnings of stairs down to water visible to E and W of entrance to basin. Basin largely filled in but walls of basin where visible are in snecked brownish stone with band courses. Granite copings. Basin entrance has rebates for former gates, each retaining (to S), iron seatings for gate hinges. Basin elliptical with granite steps down to floor visible on E but largely obscured to W. To N of basin, dock entrance has rebates for former gates, each retaining (to S), iron seatings for gate hinges. To E of entrance to former dock (N of basin), is catch pit. D-shaped feeder pit in grey-brown coursed hammer-dressed masonry and having heavily-built sluice archway with stepped voussoirs and keystone.

Reason for designation

Included for important historic interest as remaining structures of the earliest major dock in Cardiff. Group value.